Darren Charles Holloway Photography

When we booked our very small wedding for 5 people (in total) at Ashdown Park Hotel last September, we were unsure about organising a photographer. We wanted to keep it a very low-key, intimate affair with the emphasis on being informal and relaxed. It would therefore only work if we found someone who fitted in and made us feel at ease! It had to be the right person otherwise we would risk losing the intimate atmosphere we wanted to create on our special day. We decided to contact Darren as he is one of Ashdown Parks recommended suppliers and he also lives locally to us. From our first contact, we knew he was absolutely going to be the man for the job! He immediately put us at ease - his warm, friendly and calm personality along with his experience and knowledge in photography made it a very easy decision. With so few guests, we agreed a package that worked for us with complete flexibility and no sales pressure from Darren. Despite our wedding being a small affair, Darren still offered us the same experience and customer service that you would expect from a large wedding demonstrating his upmost professionalism. On the day, we were all very nervous and seeing Darren made us feel relaxed and at ease. He was one of the family! Darrens knowledge of the hotel was evident when he took us to different locations/areas to maximise the photo opportunities. We really wanted a mixture of formal and informal shots which captured the emotions of the day and told our love story! When that all important email arrived with a link to our photos, we were beyond excited and apprehensive. Would there be enough photos and would it capture all that we hoped for?! WOW . unbelievable. It exceeded all expectations and we were completely blown away. Without any hesitation, we can highly recommend Darren. You wont be disappointed!
Jan 5th, 2023

My now husband and I got married at the Ashdown Park Hotel on booking we received a list of their recommended suppliers. This list included 2 photographers, one of which being Darren. When comparing both on their websites I was instantly more drawn to Darren's style of photography. I also preferred the way Darren's packages were set out as it was easier to understand what would be included. We arranged to have our first meeting at the venue. Not having any experience with professional photographers and not having any clear understanding of what we were particularly looking for, Darren could not have helped us anymore if he tried. He talked us through what he offers and showed us many examples of his wonderful work and we knew from that meeting we did not need to find anyone else. The fact he was recommended by our wedding venue, had done many many weddings there and even got married there himself made us feel he was perfect for our wedding. Throughout the planning process we never had to chase Darren (unlike some other suppliers) for anything such as making arrangements to discuss final details. No question was too big or small for Darren and his communication was fantastic, very quick to respond. We had a zoom meeting to discuss all final decisions such as photo arrangements, timings and Darren really helped to guide us - being our first weddings we obviously did not know what to expect! Darren really helped us to understand how the day would run, think his explanations was what gave us the best understanding of how the day would go. On the day Darren and his wife went above and beyond, they were here there and everywhere! Rushing between myself and Mark to get photos of the morning getting ready. Looking back at photos Darren captured of our ceremony myself and Mark both commented on how we did not even notice him during the ceremony taking pictures, he is very discreet and so professional in his work. We could not have asked for anymore from Darren on the day, they were fantastic and made sure everything flowed nicely from photo to photo. When we received the prints, wow, we were honestly blown away at how beautiful they were. There was over 300 photos in total and we had chosen a story book with the option for 75-90 photos and it really was hard to whittle them down as they were all so fantastic. We have now received our storybook and it is just perfect and we will cherish it for the rest of our lives. We could not recommend Darren enough if you are looking for a photographer, thank you again for everything. Best wishes, Courtney & Mark Bates
Dec 23rd, 2022

We chose Darren to be the photographer at our wedding and it was one of the best decisions we made. From the first meeting Darren was always friendly and made us feel at ease. In the first meeting he showed us his work, his albums and storybooks spoke for themselves, his work is beautiful. Moreover, Darren himself is is an extremely knowledgeable, experienced and professional photographer. During the first meeting Darren provided us with all of the information we needed, and throughout the process his communication/responsiveness was great. He responded efficiently to any emails / queries which we had. We got married at Ashdown Park Hotel in the month of September, so there were no guarantees what the weather would be like on the day, however Darren covered this during our first meeting. He knew the venue extremely well and was able to put our minds at ease that whatever the weather on the day, he had a plan and knew where to get the most beautiful shots. As for the day itself, Darren and Kate were both extremely friendly and efficient, making everyone feel at ease, laugh and smile all whilst snapping the most beautiful shots and ensuring every important moment was captured. We are so happy and pleased with our photos. We highly recommend Darren Charles Holloway Photography - Excellent service and photos. Darren - thank you so much for everything. Alex & Ryan
Oct 2nd, 2021

Darren was referred to us by Ashdown Park Hotel, and after having a chat with him we knew he was going to be great to work with. We did do some research - as you do - and his fees were extremely reasonable. As our wedding was just a little affair, we had Darren with us on his own - but it was like he was everywhere! He was there to meet my husband at the registry office, he was right outside when I arrived as well (telling us exactly where to go) and he made it to the hotel before us for some really beautiful arrival shots there. He had said early on that we might need to be prepared for some unreliable weather - being that it was in September - but he knew Ashdown so well that it didn't feel like the weather impacted us very much. Darren was always friendly, helpful and responded quickly to every email. On our zoom calls we could have discussions and plan finer details - a lot of things I had not even thought of being that our wedding was so tiny (!) But he was so helpful and we were very grateful for that. Our photos' arrival after our wedding was right on schedule - and it was quite a surprise when our USB arrived, by how beautifully it was done - I'll keep this a surprise but we were very made up with it! Thank you so much, Darren, we are very grateful for all your help!
Jul 28th, 2021

It is not difficult to provide a glowing review for Darren given the excellent service he and his lovely wife Kate provided for the wedding of our daughter Emily at Ashdown Park Hotel in June. Their manner from start to finish was a perfect blend of professionalism and friendliness which put everyone at complete ease. We first met Darren when he came to our house to show us evidence of his work and we were immediately impressed not only by the quality of his photography but his friendliness and easy going going attitude. Darren provided us with a comprehensive choice of packages all competitively priced. We were keen that the photos taken at the wedding should be as natural and relaxed as possible, a step away from the more formal posed shots so often taken at weddings and the photos Darren took captured this perfectly. At our initial meeting he took the time to talk us through exactly what to expect from both himself and Kate on the day and they more than lived up to expectation. On the day itself they arrived promptly at the house and took all the photos very quickly and efficiently. Kate was very on the ball helping Emily with her dress and veil to ensure Darren got the perfect shots. Darren and Kate worked very quickly as a team and took many photos in a very short period of time before moving on to the venue. Being a recommended photographer for Ashdown Park Hotel meant Darren has a lot of experience photographing at the venue and this was reflected in the pictures he took. We did not want Emily and Chris to be taken away from their guests for a long period of time after the ceremony whilst the official photos were taken, which happens at so many weddings, and Darren took this on board. As he is very familiar with the venue Darren was able to quickly move Emily and Chris to different locations within the stunning grounds to maximise the potential for different settings for the shots. This then gave Emily and Chris a more varied selection to choose from when presented with all the proofs at the end. Following the wedding Darren has dealt with any queries straight away. The only difficulty we have had has been narrowing down the selection of photos to get printed. To conclude, we would highly recommend DCH Photography for your wedding based on the wonderful photos and friendly efficient professional service Darren and his wife Kate provided.
Feb 8th, 2019